I am grieved to speak of that death at all; but I have no other alternative.

The course of my story must now lead me straight on to the later time, and to the terrible discovery which exposed my benefactor and my friend to all England as the forger Fauntleroy.
I must ask you to suppose a lapse of some time after the occurrence of the events that I have just been relating.

During this interval, thanks to the kind assistance I had received at the outset, my position as a man of business had greatly improved.

Imagine me now, if you please, on the high road to prosperity, with good large offices and a respectable staff of clerks, and picture me to yourselves sitting alone in my private room between four and five o'clock on a certain Saturday afternoon.
All my letters had been written, all the people who had appointments with me had been received.

I was looking carelessly over the newspaper, and thinking about going home, when one of my clerks came in, and said that a stranger wished to see me immediately on very important business.
"Did he mention his name ?" I inquired.
"No, sir." "Did you not ask him for it ?" "Yes, sir.